Wedge.



No. 830,214. PATENTBD SEPT. 4, 1906. H. E. DENISON & H. H. BLAKE.

WEDGE.

APPLICATION FILED 00123. 1904.

NVENTORS. mylflenzls'am Affomey flaw/W 1 swam J i v WITNESSES: a U f .UNITED STATES Pgniwr orrion.

HARRY E. DENISON AND HENRY H. BLAKE. OF AUBURN, NEW YORK.

WEDGE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 4, 1906.

Application filed October 3, 1904. Serial No. 227,055.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that we, HARRY E. DENISON and HENRY H. BLAKE, citizens of the United States, residing at Auburn, in the county of Cayuga and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Wedges; and we do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to figures of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to wedges, and has for one of its objects to provide a self-anchoring wedge of simple, inexpensive, durable, and efficient character.

Another object of the invention resides in the provision of a wedge of such form or construction that it will successfully wedge wood or like material solidly or tightly within surrounding surfaces, the device being particularly adapted to secure handles of tools in such manner as to obviate accidental separation of the handle from its socket.

Another object of the invention is to provide a peculiarly-shaped wedge designed to be driven into the end of a tool-handle under such peculiar wedging action as to force or to spread the fibers of the handle in different directions or planes, thereby insuring a positive fastening of the tool with respect to its handle.

While the invention is particularly applicable to the fastening of tool-handles, it is equally capable of use in all lines of manufacture wherein it is desirable to force the wood outwardly against surrounding surfaces and at the same time to firmly secure within the wood the wedge which performs that function, and therefore while the description herein refers particularly to the application of the invention and the class of articles to which it is especially applicable it is to be understood that we desire to cover in this one application various forms of wedges for use in any connection in which the same might be found useful.

With these and other objects in view the present invention consists in the combination and arrangement of parts, as will be hereinafter more fully described, shown in the accompanying drawings, and particularly pointed out in the appended claims, it being understood that changes in the form, size,

proportion, and minor details may be made within the scope of the claims without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the present invention.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of a hammer, partly in section, illustrating the anchorage of one form of the improved wedge in its operative position as applied to a hammer. Fig. 2 is a similar view of a hammer, partly in section, illustrating the anchorage of another form of the improved wedge in its operative position as ap plied to a hammer. Fig. 3 embraces a front and side elevation of one of the detachable auxiliary prongs of one form of wedge. Fig. 4 is a detail perspective view of one form of wedge with the auxiliary prongs removed. Fig. 5 is a detail perspective view similar to Fig. A. Fig. 6 is a detail perspective view of the wedge shown in Fig. 1, the auxiliary prongs being removed. Fig. 7 is a detail per .spective view of the form of wedge shown in Fig. 2. Fig. 8 is a detail perspective view of still another form of the invention. Fig. 9 is a detail perspective view illustrating a wedge similar to the wedge shown in Fig. 1, except that the auxiliary prongs are formed integral with the wedge. Fig. 10 embraces a series of top plan views a, b, and 0, illustrating the manner in which the front, the rear, and the edges of any one or more of the wedges may be formed; and Fig. 11 illustrates edge or side views (1 and 6, showing the manner in which the front and rear of any one or more ofthe wedges may be formed.

Referring now to the accompanying drawings and more particularly to Figs. 1, 3, and 6, the reference characters 1 and 2 designate the handle and hammer, respectively, it being understood, however, as premised in the foregoing, that while the hammer-tool is herein illustrated it is not intended to limit the field of use of the wedge totools or devices of any particular character, for it is obvious that it is expedient to positively secure ax-heads, hatchet-heads, and other toolheads to their handles and to fasten wood Within surrounding material in other articles of manufacture and that the present invention is one capable of fulfilling such oflice in various articles. However, referring to the aforesaid illustrations, it will be seen that two tapering auxiliary prongs 3 are driven between the outer surfaces of the wooden handle and the inner surface of the bore or eye of the hammer-head 2. Each of these the latter tapering downwardly to sharp' points or edges 9, each prong being of the same length as its companion prong. As shown, the prong 7 is enlarged at its lower end, as at 10, forming a projecting shoulder 11, designed to cooperate with the inclined surface 12 of the prong 8 to bite into and bind the wooden fibers of the handle or other article therebetween when the wedge is driven into the latter. It will be observed, too, that the prong 8 is provided with a shoulder 11, being disposed and arranged for cooperation with the inclined face 7 a of the prong 7 to create a second pinching or binding action upon the wooden fibers to anchor the wedge tightly in its operative position. These prongs 7 and 8 are not disposed at the extreme ends of the head 6, the latter extending laterally beyond the outer edges of the prongs and having its under surface inclined or converging downwardly, as at 13, forming lateral offsets, projections, or the like designed to be seated in the V-shaped cavities or seats 4 of the auxiliary wedgeprongs 3, as clearly shown in the accompanying drawings. It will thus be seen that in this particular form of wedge four prongs are associated with the head portion thereof, the auxiliary prongs 3, however, in this particular instance being not rigid with, but arranged for detachable association with the wedge proper. However, in Fig. 2 of the accompanying drawings it will be seen that the prongs 14 are cast or otherwise integrally formed upon the extreme ends of the head portion 15, the said prongs having their lower ends 14 tapering downwardly and meeting the preferably straight inner edges 16 thereof in a sharp point or edge 17 and terminating short of the main prongs 18 and 19. In other words, in the form of wedge illustrated in Figs. 2 and 7 the auxiliary prongs are integral with the head portion 15, while the auxiliary prongs 3 of the wedge illustrated in Figs. 1, 3, and 6 are associated in detachable relation to their head portion. There is a still further difference in the form of wedges illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2, in that in the latter arrangement, while both of the main prongs 7 and 8 terminate in the same length and have their outer edges tapering or inclined downwardly in convergency, each is provided with an enlarged lower end, resulting in two shoulders arranged with relation to two inclined surfaces to provide for a duplex or double binding action upon the Driven into the end fibers, whereas in the arrangement shown in Figs. 2 and 7 there is but a single binding action as compared with the other form. In other words, by reference to Figs. 2 and 7 it will be seen that but one shoulder 20 is provided for cooperation with the inclined surface 21 of the prong 19. It is obvious that when these two forms of wedges are driven home in the wooden fiber the shoulders provide anchors capable of preventing the wedge becoming accidentally withdrawn from its seat.

In Figs. 4 and 5 it will be seen that a wedge is provided wherein the auxiliary prongs form a detachable part of the complete device, necessitating the formation of the head portion 22 of the wedges for seating them in the cavities or seats of the auxiliary prongs, as well understood. In Fig. 4 the main prongs 23 and 24 are preferably of the same length, the shoulder 25 of the prong 23 being arranged to cooperate with the inclined inner face 26 of the prong 24 to create the aforesaid binding action upon the wooden fibers, while in Fig. 5 the shoulder 26 of the prong 27 is designed to cooperate with the inclined portion 28 of the opposite main prong 29, the latter, as shown, terminating short of its companion main prong.

In Fig. 8 the head portion 30 is provided with two main prongs31 and 32, the latter terminating short of the former and provided with an inclined portion 33, adapted to cooperate with the projecting shoulder 34 of the prong 31 for the purpose already explained. In this form the auxiliary prongs 35 and 36 are each provided upon their inner faces with teeth or the like 37, which are designed to aid in preventing the accidental withdrawal of the wedge from its seat. However, while these teeth are not necessarily essential to prevent the accidental withdrawal of the wedge from its seat it is manifest that they will aid in fulfilling such office, and therefore it is desired to protect in this case such a construction and arrangement as that shown and described in this particular figure of the drawings.

In Fig. 9 there is illustrated a form of wedge very similar in all respects to the wedge shown in Figs. 1, 3, and 6, the only material difference residing in the fact that the auxiliary prongs 38 and 39 are formed integrally with the head portion 40, as shown.

In Fig. 10 will be observed top plan views a, b, and 0. illustrating the manner in which the front and rear and side edges of the wedges may be formed, while in Fig. 11 there will be seen views (1 and 6, showing that, if desired, one or all of the wedges may taper downwardly from the extreme upper edge to the lower edge thereof or that the greater portion of the front and rear of the wedges may be substantially of one thickness, terminating at their lower ends in points or sharp edges 41, as shown in view 6 of Fig. 11. Further description of these latter views seems entirely unnecessary.

From the foregoing it will be seen that the auxiliary prongs may be formed integral with or associated in detachable relation with the head portion of the wedges and that, if desired, a wedge may be formed with auxiliary prongs provided with teeth upon their inner aces.

As should now be clearly understood, the fiber of the wooden handle or other article is spread as the wedge enters the same, the tapering or inclined portions of the different prongs tending not only to force the fiber of the wood inwardly or outwardly, but that some of the inclined or tapering portions cooperate with offset or projecting shoulders for causing a binding effect therebetween upon the wooden fibers, so as to anchor the wedge in position against accidental displacement.

It is our purpose to cover in this one application all the forms of wedges herein described, and shown in the accom anying drawings, and while various forms 0 wedges have been shown in order to make clear the possible changes in form it is to be understood that various other changes and modifications may be resorted to within the scope of our invention.

l/Ve claim 1. A wedge, comprising a head portion, and four prongs associated therewith, each of the two intermediate prongs having a shoulder cooperating with an inclined portion of its adjacent intermediate prong.

2. A wedge, comprising a head portion, and a series of four prongs associated therewith, each of the intermediate prongs having ciated therewith and intermediate the ends thereof, other prongs each having a cavity in its upper end, the extreme ends of the head portion being formed to rest wi thin the cavit es of the said other prongs.

4. The combination with a tool-head having an opening therein and a handle fitted in the opening of the tool-head, of auxiliary prongs between the handle and the inner surfaces of the opening of the tool-head, said prongs each having a cavity in its upper end, and a wedge comprising a head portion having depending tapering prongs associated therewith, the extremities of the head portion resting within the cavities of the auxiliary'prongs.

5. A wedge, including a head portion, prongs associated therewith intermediate the ends thereof, one of said prongs having an inclined portion and the other a shoulder for cooperation with the inclined portion, the front and rear sides of the ends of the head portion converging downwardly, and other prongs each having a cavity formed in its uper end, the extreme ends of the head portion tting within the cavities of said other prongs.

In testimony whereof we affix our signa tures in presence of two witnesses.

HARRY E. DENISON. HENRY H. BLAKE. Witnesses:

GEORGE H. LEONARD, ORRIN McCARTY. 

